What’s New
DU might adopt open-book online exam mode from July 1
The Delhi University (DU) administration has decided to switch to the open book online examination mode from July 1 for final year students in case the Covid-19 pandemic doesn’t allow the university to hold exams via the conventional pen-and-paper mode by then.
The Delhi University (DU) administration has decided to switch to the open book online examination mode from July 1 for final year students in case the Covid-19 pandemic doesn’t allow the university to hold exams via the conventional pen-and-paper mode by then.
Thiruvananthapuram: Blind students from across globe join training plan
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Unlike cricket, there is no diplomatic issues when it comes to blindness. The 60-day online training programme in assistive technologies for education launched by a city-based NGO, Chakshumathi, has students from Pakistan, Europe, Africa, Caribbean islands along with those from India.
For registration, contact: 7994485311, 6238475543.
Pandemic brings new challenges for the blind
The coronavirus can survive on surfaces for a long time, and for those who rely on touch, it has made life more difficult.
The visually impaired understand the world through touch and feel. Without this, everything from shopping for groceries to using the elevator becomes impossible,” says K N Sudeendra Kumar, programme officer with a community-based rehabilitation forum...
A touch of technology: Blind kids in J&K to get laptops to link to Braille terminals
Jammu: The School Education Department in Jammu and Kashmir is going to distribute 42 laptops among children who are visually impaired to provide inclusive educational support through technological interventions.
The laptops will be connected to braille tactile terminals lying in the resource rooms, School Education Principal Secretary Asgar Samoon said.
This will help the visually-impaired children to read and explore more learning resources from the internet,” he said.
Kerala NGO launches online programme for visually impaired
All sessions are in English and the minimum requirement to join the course is basic knowledge of computer and mobile phones.
Kerala’s blind cricketers working with a vision even during lockdown
KOCHI: You have seen him; the blind lottery seller, walking ever so gently by the side of the bustling street. You might have even bought a lottery from him regardless of whether you have a penchant for trying your luck or not. That man could have been Venugopal Mani, the 32-year-old blind cricketer from Badiyadka in Kasaragod district.
Meet Eyeway Covid Warrior: Harshad Chakradhare
During the nationwide lockdown, Eyeway helpline has been receiving numerous calls from visually impaired people across India for help with delivery of food, medicines and other essentials. Some have even asked for financial help to pay off rent and other utility bills.
We’ve been trying to meet their requests with coordinated effort from NGOs and volunteers. In response to our call for help in Wardha district of Maharashtra, a visually impaired college student, Harshad Chakradhare took on himself to find solutions.
Covid19: Stories from the ground #4
Keli Tandi and his wife are a blind couple from Raipur. They barely had any food supplies at home when the nationwide lockdown was announced. Although, someone did provide them with a packet of rice but it wasn’t enough to meet the basic food requirement of the family. With no ration at home and two small children needing milk, they reached out to Eyeway for help in a state of desperation.
On understanding their situation, Eyeway quickly mobilized its network who ensured delivery of essential ration items to the family.
Covid19: Stories from the ground #3
Dhirender Chauhan and his wife are a blind couple who were visiting their relatives in Jabalpur when the nationwide lockdown was announced to curb the spread of COVID-19. With restrictions on mobility and little cash in hand, the family was caught in a helpless situation. Dhirender called the Eyeway helpline seeking support with ration and some nutritional food supplies for his pregnant wife.
Covid19: Stories from the ground #2
With the nationwide lockdown due to Covid-19, two hostels housing 40 blind boys and girls in Pune were suddenly caught unprepared. Their major source of income was an orchestra of blind children that performed round the year.
Covid19: Stories from the ground #1
When PM Narendra Modi announced the first nationwide lockdown of 21 days, many were left trapped in places away from home.
18-year-old Amit Kumar who is visually impaired, had travelled to Delhi from his hometown in Bihar to appear for his Class 10 exams. Unfortunately, he was stuck at a hostel for blind students in the capital where he was residing temporarily.
Aarogya Setu is mandatory, but still not accessible to people with disabilities
The Covid-19 contact tracing app cannot be accessed by those who have a visual or hearing impairment. Social Justice Ministry has asked NIC and MeitY to look into this.
Blind Graduates Forum of India (BGFI)!
BGFI brings to you yet another insightful series of session on Grooming Etiquettes and Hygiene. The first part of the series will focus on dressing or grooming followed by hygiene, details of the second part will be communicated post the session on grooming etiquettes.
webinar
Saksham is organizing a webinar on various accessibility features of android phones and iPhone on 13th May 2020. The 1 and a half hour webinar will hold 3 sessions each of which will be taken by Saksham's technology experts. The sessions will cover talkback control for web navigation, selection mode, labelling, cut, and copy-paste through talkback, some special features of WhatsApp and some interesting tricks and techniques of talkback/voiceover on a smartphone as well as the iPhone.
After the registration, you'll receive an email with a detailed plan of the sessions.
Blind people fear relaxation of lockdown, wonder impact of social distancing on their lives
New Delhi, May 7 (PTI) Visually impaired Amina, who relies heavily on her sense of touch, wonders what kind of ''new life'' awaits her when the lockdown imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic relaxes.
For Amina, it is a double whammy as not only touching any surface will put her at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus but also the new norm of social distancing would make the outside world more wary towards helping her and other blind people.
Birthday surprise for specially abled
Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 6
A visually challenged man, who holds MA and BEd degree, got a home when he turned 39 today.
Forced to take to begging due to the traumatic family life and failed attempts to get a job, Billu Paswan was today shifted to Sector 21-based Cheshire Homes, a place for the destitute, by the local Municipal Corporation.
He has been living and begging outside Sai mandir in Sector 29 for nearly 2.5 years.
The lockdown is hard for women with disability
As a girl of 15, Nidhi Goyal wanted to be a portrait artist. Then she became visually-challenged, and turned to activism. “I was 16,” she says about losing sight to a rare genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa. “It was a struggle and I was slipping into depression until I looked at my own privilege.” She then decided to “do something about it”.
Blind people fear days after lockdown, say social distancing is a curse
Rahul Gambhir, a 31-year-old banker from Mumbai, is worried about the day when the Covid-19 lockdown will be lifted and he will have to join office again.
His office is at Nariman Point, which is at least 20km away from his flat at Chembur.
There are several questions worrying Gambhir, who is totally blind since birth.
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